Member: PrairieDogg

I was just looking thru the memoirs in your library. Picked out one called The Daily Coyote (I think), a Wyoming memoir which looked pretty interesting, and put it in my Amazon cart. I've been reading a lot of western writers recently. I like a good animal book now and then, and if it's also a memoir - and well written - I'll prob enjoy it. One of the best of that kind is Hal Borland's The Dog Who Came to Stay, from 40-some yrs ago, and a particular favorite of mine. But I really need to stop ordering books. My to-read pile is out of control; I'll never catch up. And it makes me lazy about my own writing. Don't know if I'll ever get this next book finished. Too much good stuff to read - which is so much easier than writing. Right now reading several books at once, incl Harrison Salisbury's mammoth memoir, A Journey for Our Time. And I just got in the mail Curt Harnack's Gentlemen on the Prairie. I only need his first two novels now to have a complete set of Curtis Harnack's work. Am also reading Textures of Life, an old novel by his late wife, Hortense Calisher. Hey, it's getting close to lie-down time - to read and nap w/ the dogs. - Tim

posted by TimBazzett at 12:53 pm (EST) on Sep 20, 2009

Nice to hear from you, Dogg. (Geeze, do I have to call you that? I feel like that American Idol judge who calls everybody "Dawg.") I see you're a Fred Busch fan too. I was so devastated when he dropped dead a few years back. Just last year I found out Fred's son, Ben, lives right here in Reed City. Ben's wife, Tracy, teaches History at Ferris State just down the road. Small world, huh? I've always thought Busch's GIRLS one of the most chillingly realized stories ever written, and loved his HARRY AND CATHERINE too. - Tim

posted by TimBazzett at 12:30 pm (EST) on Sep 19, 2009

Hi, Dogg - Happened across your library while blurbing Curt Harnack's LIMITS OF THE LAND tonight. Seems you and I are the only ones that have it. I got mine from the author himself a while back. I've read 4 other books by him and enjoyed all of them. I'm not an Iowan, but enjoy a good story. Particularly liked his two memoirs, WE HAVE ALL GONE AWAY and THE ATTIC. Looks like we share quite a few books. - Tim

posted by TimBazzett at 10:53 pm (EST) on Sep 3, 2009